Ecuador Tours & Natural Health

Thousands of our readers have gained Ecuador health benefits and have taken Ecuador tours over the past 15 years.

Ecuador real estate tour in Bahia.

Ecuador tour at Ingapirca, near Cuenca.

Whether to learn about Shamanic health tips, real estate or exports, Jean Marie and his team work hard to help each reader have an efficient, informative and most of all enjoyable tour.

Plus his tours aim at helping delegates see the whole picture. Jean Marie has been a leader in introducing new, natural food supplements in Europe and stresses a holistic view on the tours… the savings… the purity… the healthy lifestyles… the benefits of integrating cultures.

One reason Jean Marie loves Ecuador are the health benefits… a place to combine old wisdoms and modern technology. and we’ll be showcasing a series he has written on Ecuador’s health benefits.

Yesterday’s message looked at a natural health tactic with castor oil used both in India and the Andes.

A reader responded: What a memory you dug up in me. When I was growing up, my Mother would look at me and if I looked ‘puney’, I got a dose of castor oil in orange juice. It has been only recently that I can look at orange juice and not have my stomach start gurgling. But it must have worked, I am 78 and on no medication, no arthritis, no nothing. I can out do all my friends who are even younger than I. I’m going out and buy a bottle and do the fourth teaspoon a day, regimen. I can hold my nose and down that much. Thanks for the memories.

I replied: Thanks for sharing. I use grapefruit. First, I mix the oil with a bit of grapefruit juice… slug it down (shudder) and then bite into the grapefruit. There is probably no way to make castor oil taste good so this is still not a tasty experience but it’s better to me than taking it neat.

Jean Marie also works to provide savings for tour delegates… getting hotel and air fare discounts that often save more than the cost of the tour.

He recently sent this note about Ecuador airfare savings: Gary, I have seen some nice promotions lately from Tame and now Aerogal: $63 round trip Quito-Manta

Here are a few of the questions that others have asked and replies from Jean Marie Butterlin, head of A Team Ecuador.

Q: Why should I pay for a tour, can’t I do the same thing on my own?

A: We have been working in Ecuador for over a decade, long before most folks ever considered visiting the country. Over the years, we learned who to trust (and just as important, who not to trust) and forged priceless relationships. We have built an experienced network of experts who can save you time and money. They have earned our respect and trust and, most importantly, we have earned theirs as well. Whether you join our export tour, agriculture tour or real estate tours, you will benefit from our years of on the ground experience. In the long run, this will save you both time and money.

Q: Are hotel rooms included in the tour?

A: No, your accommodations, in-country flights and meals are not included in the tour. However, we have negotiated discounted rates at local hotels. We will make your reservations for you at these discounted rates.

Q: Do I need to make my own hotel reservations?

A: No, we will do that for you during the tour dates. If you plan to arrive early or stay longer, let us know and we can help with reservations.

Q: Do I need to buy tickets for the flight to Manta or Cuenca?

A: No, we will buy the tickets and you can reimburse us. By doing it this way, everyone is on the same flight.

Q: I want to visit Cotacachi, how do I get there for the import/export tour?

A: We can arrange a driver to meet you at the airport and make your hotel reservations for you, contact: bonnie@ateamecuador.com

Q:When should I arrive in Ecuador for the tour?

A: When you register for a tour, you will be sent a tour schedule with dates and details. For the real estate tours, you should plan to arrive in Quito two days before the first day of the tour; for the export tour, you should plan to be in Quito the day before the first day of the tour. Most flights from North America arrive in Quito at night, so generally folks spend their first night in Quito after arrival. We will send you details about our hotel discounts in Quito.

Q: I’m considering traveling by bus, do you recommend that?

A: No; for many reasons, we do not recommend traveling by bus for our clients.

Q: Do I need any shots from my medical doctor before traveling to Ecuador?

A: No shots are required to visit the areas included in our tours.

Q: Do I need a visa to visit Ecuador?

A: From most countries, you will be issued a T90, 90 day tourist visa when you enter Ecuador; this will permit you to stay in the country for 90 days within a 12 month period.

Q: Can I use credit cards in Ecuador? Are there ATMs I can use?

A: Yes, you can use credit cards in Ecuador. They are accepted at the hotels we use, airlines and some restaurants. However, the majority of businesses in the country do not accept credit cards, be prepared to pay in cash.

ATMs are available in the cities and some towns. Cotacachi and Otavalo are tourist areas so they have several ATMs.
It is a good idea to let your credit card and debit card issuers know you will be traveling in Ecuador and using your cards there. Otherwise, they may freeze your account when they see foreign transactions coming in=. Travelers checks are very difficult to use in Ecuador.

Q: Will my cell phone work there?

A: Probably not. Sometimes you can purchase a SIM card in Ecuador that will enable your phone, depending on brand and carrier. Also, you can check with your carrier to see if international service is available. It cost about $55 to buy a cell phone in Ecuador, you refill your minutes by buying cards, you can buy a card for as little as $3.

This however is becoming more difficult as the government has implemented new rules for cell phones. Some Buyers of cellphones are supposed to provide their cedula (resident visa) number when they want to recharge their phone. Not all companies are doing this yet but some do. The system that checks the cedula works directly through the main data base of the government; so there now is a direct link between the cell phone companies and government data bases.

Something happened to me in the course, despite my personal chaos distractions, not sure exactly what all it entails but i can sense it..i am a bit more alive and well and ready to tell or sell …learn & earn…& LIVE! Thanx so much, Again!

Gary

2015 Schedule

2015 Schedule

Schedule 2015 Seminars and Courses

Delegates enjoy taking breaks at our winter courses in Mount Dora.

We conduct our summer camps at Jefferson Landing in West Jefferson North Carolina.

Join us in balmy Central Florida in the winter and the Cool Blue Ridge in summer.

Join Merri and me for all the courses and seminars that we’ll conduct to help you gain positive solutions to your economic, financial and lifestyle concerns.

Here are the courses we currently have scheduled in 2015. Course in bold conducted by Gary & Merri Scott

Sept 4-5-6, 2015, West Jefferson, North Carolina. Multi Currency, Protect Against a Weak Dollar Investing Seminar. (Normally $799 or $999 for a couple)

The Best Multi Currency International Investing Seminar in 32 Years

Cash in on the best opportunity in 32 years. Currency diversification has always been important for safety, but right now a multi currency opportunity is brewing and has more profit potential then you have seen in over three decades.

Our “International Investing Seminars” started 32 years ago at about the best time for investors ever. Over these decades our semi annual seminars have updated what’s going on in global investment markets and what to do. In all those years, few times offered as much long term opportunity as in 1982.

Sept 4-5-6, 2015, West Jefferson, North Carolina. Multi Currency, Protect Against a Weak Dollar Investing Seminar. (Normally $799 or $999 for a couple)

Our summer and autumn courses are at the Jefferson Landing Country Club.

Finally, conditions have come full circle and the several conditions are coming together just as we saw at our first seminars in the 1980s. The US dollar. the US stock market and the price of oil are acting almost exactly as they did in the early 1980s. Knowing the conditions and why they have merged and what to do about them can help you create a fortune.

One way to tap this potential (we’ll review this at the seminar) is to invest in a Good Value Country Strategy with ETFs (Country Index Exchange Traded Funds). For example there are currently ten good value developed markets, Australia, Austria, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Norway, Singapore and the United Kingdom. You can easily create a diversified portfolio in each or all of these ten countries with Country Index ETFs.

We review more than two dozen Country Index ETFs at the seminars. One example is the iShares Germany MSCI Index ETF.

Click on image to enlarge.

Germany’s stock market is a good value market. Germany has the world’s fourth largest economy. The country is the third largest exporter in the world and in 2013 recorded the highest trade surplus in the world making it the biggest capital exporter globally. Yet German shares have been overlooked. German share prices are cheap.

The problem most investors have is knowing which German shares to buy. The country Index ETF solves this by investing in almost all the shares traded on Germany’s largest stock exchange in Frankfurt. The iShares Germany MSCI Index ETF is a share traded on the New York Stock Exchange that invests in 85% of the shares in Germany. This ETF is a passive fund that does not try to outperform the growth of the German Stock Market. The managers simply track the investment results of the MSCI Germany Index.

The iShares MSCI ETF invests in all the important sectors in the German market, so your one investment in the ETF gives you a spread of good value German shares.

The fund has over 4 billion of assets and those assets are invested mainly in the 54 German shares, so your investment gives you enormous diversification within the German stock market. What makes ETFs such easy and simple investments is that even a small investment of $1000 (at this time) will buy about 25 shares. For just $1,000 the investment is spread into this vast powerful, good value equity market.

At our seminars we review Country Index ETFs for every good value stock market in the world. One benefit of these ETFs is that investors can invest very small amounts so it is possible to invest in all good value countries, even if your portfolio is not large.

You save on tax. Managed funds exert a heftier tax bill on your portfolio than passive products. You save on reduced portfolio turnover. Every time a manager makes a trade, there’s a cost. ETFs invest in the shares that compose the index and do not trade. During 2013 actively managed funds in the US turned over 85% of their holdings. Remember that this activity resulted in poorer average results than the indices for 75% of these funds.

Join me at our 2015 seminars to explain how to use ETFs and much more. The “International Investing Seminar” looks at how to protect purchasing power and pensions with multi currency investing. The course teaches how to add safety and create to profit from multi currency and global equity cycles.

Value Investing Outside the Box. Here is a partial syllabus of the seminar:

* See new breakout possibilities… in global investing.

* Benefits of early investments in an oil that’s up 22.8 times in the past ten years.

* Beyond Gold. Three hard assets that protect against all currency erosion.

* The Small Country Effect. Why small markets rise more than large ones.

* Top Value small markets and how to easily invest small or large amounts.

* The best four currencies for the year ahead.

Few decisions are as important to your wealth as WHICH CURRENCIES to invest in. This has been our area of expertise since the 1970s. Learn how to use ETFs to gain multi currency diversification.

Details in this session also include:

* How to easily buy global currencies, shares and bonds.

* The benefits of investing in real estate in Small Town USA. We will share why the value is special and why we have been recommending good value real estate in this area since 2009.

* What’s up with gold and silver. One session looks at my current position on gold and silver and asset protection. We review the state of the precious metal markets and potential problems ahead for US dollars – how interest rates at zero eliminate opportunity costs of diversification in precious metals and foreign currencies.

* New tax strategies. How to create businesses that earn income and reduce tax.

Gary Scott at a multi currency session

The course begins with a 1000 Year Economic Review that leads us up to where markets are in 2015.

Learn how to:

* Find good investing value.

* Use Multi Currency Portfolios.

* To use multi currency for diversification-speculation & hedge.

* Earn in water and agricultural investing.

* Gain with special situations now for aggressive growth

Join Merri and me for this multi currency economic update seminar.

Gary Scott speaking to 400 delegates in Quito, Ecuador

Sept 4-5-6, 2015, West Jefferson, North Carolina. Multi Currency, Protect Against a Weak Dollar Investing Seminar. (Normally $799 or $999 for a couple)